


Even if Romance Ran Out of Rhyme

by Liberty_Belle



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Valentine's Day, established marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-17
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2018-03-13 11:26:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3379793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liberty_Belle/pseuds/Liberty_Belle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur attempts to make the best of a Valentine’s Day separated from Alfred. Alfred does the same. Written for usukcommunity's 2015 Sweethearts Week. Day 1: Valentine's Day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even if Romance Ran Out of Rhyme

**Author's Note:**

> Posted to tumblr here: http://maplerosekisses.tumblr.com/post/111039505023

Waking up without Alfred was never pleasant, but it was usually bearable. But Arthur couldn’t help turning his face in to his pillow as the sunlight hit his eyes, trying to ignore how wrong it felt to wake up alone on Valentine’s day, for only the third time in seventy years, the first in almost twenty. They had tried so hard, but their schedules refused to cooperate. As it was, if Arthur didn’t get out of bed soon, he was going to be late for a charity brunch he’d agreed to attend while he was in town, and consoled himself with the fact that he would be stopping to see his little Prince George between the brunch and his afternoon meetings.

At half past noon, he was just stepping out of the Tube station and onto the street when his phone rang.

“You’re up early,” he greeted, failing to keep the smile out of his voice.

Alfred laughed on the other end. “Not only am I up, but I am up, dressed, and out of the house! Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he sighed heavily. “I miss you. What are you doing out at 6:30 in the morning?”

“Early meetings, you know how it is. Miss you too, honey. What are you up to?”

That brought a smile back to Arthur’s face. “I am on my way to visit Will and Kate. Nothing to put me in a good mood for hours of mind-numbing bureaucracy like some quality time with a giggling baby.”

“Jealous! Give the prince an extra kiss from me.”

“I’m sure William will be flattered,” Arthur joked.

Alfred let out a snort into the phone. “What the hell, give him one too. Hasn’t been that long since I would‘a been talking about him anyway.”

Arthur laughed, feeling lighter than he had all morning, and let Alfred’s voice wash over him the rest of the walk to the palace.

Playing with George and catching up with William and Kate did wonders for Arthur’s mood, but six hours later, the exhaustion that can only come from sitting in one place for too long (and the stress of arguing with politicians) was setting in quickly.

As he turned the key in his door, Arthur realized that Alfred must be just sitting down for lunch. Perhaps they could have some semblance of a Valentine’s Day dinner over skype. It was supposed to be Alfred’s year to plan, but when they realized it wouldn’t happen, Alfred assured him that he wasn’t planning anything out of the ordinary anyway, but he’d take next year too and do something extra special instead. Arthur sighed to himself, thinking he’d much rather have a standard Valentine’s date with Alfred than something “extra special” if it meant getting to see him this year.

There was a rustling coming from the direction of the dining room as Arthur approached it. That wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary, sometimes the fairies liked to “redecorate” when Arthur was out, but he still shifted into a defensive posture, just in case.

What he found instead, was Alfred, dressed in a nice shirt and dark jeans, holding a lit match to the last unlit candle on the table — a table set with Arthur’s good china and his favorite foods. Alfred didn’t seem to have heard him come in, and watching him blow out the match, all Arthur could think to say in his surprise was, “The lighters are in the drawer by the stove, you know.”

Alfred startled slightly, but he relaxed quickly and smiled.

“Yeah, I know, but…” he held out the matchbook to Arthur.

 _Alfred Jones and Arthur Kirkland, May 28, 2011._    

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Arthur,” Alfred murmured, closer now.

It had been a long, exhausting day, and Arthur had missed him so much. And for Alfred to be standing in front of him with a romantic dinner… and now staring down at his hand, at the matchbook from their wedding, Arthur felt tears prickle at the corner of his eyes as all of the emotion crashed over him at once.

“How…”

Alfred grinned at him

“Rescheduling, shameless bribery, and cashing in eight whole years’ worth of favors the boss owes me.”

Arthur choked on a laugh and finally fell forward far enough to wind his arms around Alfred, just holding him for a moment before he leaned up for the kiss he’d been missing since he’d woken up that morning.

“Thank you, Alfred. Happy Valentine’s Day.” Alfred smiled at him, the same soft, warm smile Arthur had fallen in love with more than a century ago, and leaned down for another kiss.

The dinner wasn’t Alfred’s last surprise, it seemed, and after dinner, as they danced slowly in the living room, Arthur leaned against Alfred’s shoulder, relaxing completely as Alfred sang quietly in his ear along with the music.

_“You would still have my heart until the end of time. You’re all I need, my love, my valentine…”_

**Author's Note:**

> Title and final line taken from "Valentine" by Martina McBride


End file.
